Three Day Budget Kitchen Facelift

In only three days and with a limited budget, we were able to give the kitchen above a whole new look. Read on to find out how we did it.

Day 1: Kitchen Demolition and Cabinet Prep

The first step in our budget kitchen facelift project was to disconnect the water supply lines to the faucet and the drain on the sink, then tearing out the old countertop. Next, we removed the cabinet doors and drawers, and took off the hinges, knobs, and pulls.

After the cabinets had been cleaned thoroughly to remove any grease and grime, we filled any holes left by the old hardware with two-part auto body filler.

The paint on the cabinets was lightly sanded with an oscillating sander to remove the gloss so the paint would adhere properly.

We also removed the old wallpaper from the walls, made some minor electrical repairs, and fixed any damage to the drywall using joint compound.

Day 2: Add Cabinet Molding and Painting

To dress up the plain Jane look of the bland plywood doors on the cabinets, stock molding was ripped to the desired width, then mitered and applied to the face of each door using Titebond PROvantage Construction Adhesive and brad nails.

After all the repair and prep work had been completed, the cabinets were primed and painted as were the walls in the kitchen.

Day 3: Install Countertop, Faucet, and Range Hood

The final day of our three day budget kitchen facelift started with installing the new Walden stainless steel pullout faucet from Moen on the sink.

The Walden faucet features a self-retracting Reflex pullout and Microban antimicrobial protection to help inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew.

After the faucet had been installed, the sink was mounted in the cutout in the new plastic laminate countertop.

When installing a sink, be sure to apply a bead of sealant, such as Titebond WeatherMaster ULTIMATE MP Sealant, around the bottom of the sink before attaching it to the countertop. This will seal any gaps between the sink and countertop to prevent water from penetrating under the sink.

Construction adhesive was used to secure the countertop to the cabinet and the backsplash to the wall.

The freshly painted cabinet doors were rehung on the cabinets with new hinges, and the matching door and drawer pulls and knobs attached.

The final step in our three day budget kitchen facelift project was installing a Broan range hood (model# QP330WW) over the stove and venting it out through the roof.

The range hood features an ultra quiet four-speed blower that can move up to 450 cubic feet of air per minute.

In addition, the range hood includes a built-in clock and timer, an ambient light sensor which can turn the light on automatically in low light conditions, and a heat sensor that turns the blower on high when it detects excessive heat.